It really doesn’t matter to a lot of people how wealthy you are, what sure counts is how you are able to be a blessing to others even with the little you have. Such philanthropic acts are ways Richard Nnadi reaches out to the needy through his Duke of Spades Foundation. “Life is short and we can only really live by helping others…that is what I define as living a fulfilled Life” Nnadi states.
Richard who is a graduate of the University of Lagos studied Cell Biology and Genetics in 2007, Aside co-owning the impressive Nightclub called Escape, this astute businessman is CEO of DV records, a farmer, writer, poet, he’s a Sociologist… name it, Richard sure has his hands full, mastering all at once. Not to worry, he isn’t a jack of all trade and master of none; he is a Master of all trade and slave to none (as he often says).
Richard might not have been born with the proverbial ‘silver spoon’ but today he has distinctively distinguished himself in everything he has set his hands upon to do. Surely, his foundation in life which was laid for him by his parents had morals and principles scrupulously embedded on it “I was taught by my parents that honesty and a good name was important and that has shaped me into the man I have become today” he says.
On Escape, Richard has this to say “Escape was opened in 2014 after two years of construction. It was setup to create an avenue for fun lovers and hardworking individuals to come together to break free from their worries and the norm in other words as the name implies ‘Escape’.
Escape Nightlife is unique in every way with its purpose built infrastructure which is the first of its kind in Nigeria. It holds a capacity of over 1,000 people. We are also well known for our great music, mind blowing lights and above all our service which has been tagged ‘impeccable’”. Richard confidently articulates.
Now to my main attraction, his philanthropic acts. I am someone who loves children and couldn’t help but admire his efforts at helping children in need not only in Nigeria but other parts of Africa. He does this through his Foundation. Hear him explicate further “My philanthropy under the name Duke Of Spades Foundation is targeted at less privileged kids between the ages 0-5 years old which also extends fully to kids born and living with HIV. I have always had a passion for the less privileged kids who cannot fend for themselves and are brought into this world blind to the hardship and cruelty of the society we live in today.”
I have spent 12 years in the nightlife and entertainment sector and it was never easy… it takes consistency, hard work and a good name to make it in any business” He reveals.
One other fascinating aspect of Nnadi is his love for poetry, an area I also love to express myself freely. I sought to know about this aspect of his life and his book which he launched and he has this to say “Poetry is life, poetry is love, poetry is painting in words… My book ‘Words For Caroline’, is about a man’s search for his perfect woman, a woman promised by God to heal and complete him. It started off as a hobby and the feedback was so positive… that is how it turned into a book.
Looking at Richard, it’s easy to tell he works out and he looks very fit but guess what? He never looked like this before now “my weight loss was my turning point because it helped with my confidence and is pretty much the genesis of the Duke of Spades” says Nnadi.
And just incase you are wondering about the reason behind the name ‘Duke Of Spades’, Richard says “it’s just a brand name I created … no story there… lol!”
